The work in my laboratory is directed toward an understanding of membrane function and biosynthesis. We have concentrated on two major areas; namely understanding the energy coupling reactions required for active transport of amino acids in E. coli, and the function and incorporation of the carrier protein for lactose transport in Staphylococcus aureus. The approaches to both problems have been biochemical and genetic. The energy coupling aspect of active transport has broadened into a general consideration of energy transduction, whether it be for driving active transport or ATP synthesis. It appears that the mechanisms are probably the same. The lactose carrier molecule from S. aureus has been "solubilized" with detergent and we are now attempting to reconstitute this isolated protein into "real" membranes and synthetic bilayer system, hopefully with restoration of active transport. It is hoped that these studies will further our understanding of membrane processes.